MENTAL as Anything were among the pioneers of the Australian music scene.

This week, they're hitting the stage in Tweed Heads along with fellow home-grown music royalty Daryl Braithwaite.

Andrew "Greedy" Smith is one of just two original members remaining.

He said they'd never had much of a chance to share a stage with Braithwaite before.

"It'll be like dipping a toe in the water," he said.

"We've played quite a few shows at Twin Towns over the years.

"It's quite a historic place for Australian music."

Greedy said working with a handful of different musicians over the years had allowed him to look at their music in a different way.

He said over the years - and there's been a few - he hadn't become any less passionate.

"The feeling you get when you play the songs is the same, but as you get older, you get more reflective," he said.

"You can't do the same thing. You can't drink that much!

"During the 80s, we'd play 250 shows a year. We'd just be playing and wouldn't think about it."

Now, it's a far more thought-out process, but they're still playing upwards of 120 shows a year.

They don't really feel like slowing down, either.

"That's just what we do," Greedy said.

"If we don't play for a few weeks, we get a bit twitchy."

A few years ago, the Mentals decided to go out on a whim and start a blog.

"I have no ambition to write a book, but it will be important to put something down," Greedy said.

"I've been realising what a unique experience it was for us to be a successful rock group in Australia in that time."

Greedy said he has high hopes for Australia's talented emerging acts.

"Good music will always get out because that's what people relate to," he said.

"The (songs) that really give you that twang stay with you your whole life."

The gig

Who: Mental as Anything and Daryl Braithwaite

Where: Twin Towns Services Club, Wharf St, Tweed Heads

When: Saturday, August 16, 8.30pm

Tickets: $47

Book: twintowns.com.au or 1800 014 014